


pools of sorrow; waves of joy

by SafelyCapricious



Series: rogue lycanthropes [5]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Werewolf
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-09
Updated: 2015-03-06
Packaged: 2018-03-11 06:42:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,405
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3317816
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SafelyCapricious/pseuds/SafelyCapricious
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jemma is still having nightmares, luckily Grant is there to help.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. every new beginning

She sat up, heart pounding and dripping sweat. She took a few gasping breaths before managing to get control of herself. As had become her ritual, she got out of bed once her heart had calmed, wiped her face, changed her shirt, slid into her slippers and headed into the kitchen for tea. 

She spent maybe ten minutes there before making her way back to her room. More often than not, Grant would be waiting as a wolf either in his doorway or her own, and he’d follow her into her room, curl with her and stay, at least until she’d fallen asleep.

Tonight, however, he was waiting at his door, still a man. 

He was shirtless, leaning against his doorframe, arms crossed with his blue sleep pants dipping low and pooling around his bare feet. 

She blinked, only for a moment wondering if it was a hallucination, bemused to find him like that. She hesitated before stopping in front of him and giving him a long look with her brow furrowed. He reached out and smoothed it away, hand lingering for only a moment before dropping away. “I thought, maybe, you’d want to talk about it. Tonight.” 

She bit her lower lip and considered. He started to frown as time passed, and he shrugged and said, “Or I can go change and meet you in your room, if you’d rather.” 

She worried her lower lip between her teeth for another moment before nodding decisively and setting her chin. “No, I think talking might be a good idea.” 

He smiled, soft and sincere, and lightly touched her shoulder. “Okay.” 

Hers was the room right next to his, so it wasn’t a long walk, though the silence continued while they paused, slightly awkwardly. He stood just inside her door, seemingly unsure of his welcome. It was a small room, and a bit of a mess at present. She mentally shook herself, because if it wouldn’t have bothered her for him to see it as a wolf, it made no real sense that it would bother her when he wasn’t a wolf. Still though, she could feel her face heating slightly as he looked around. The chair had a pile of clean clothes on it and she didn’t want to move them – but, well, this was awkward. 

He stepped up to the bed and gestured at it. “Do you mind if I…?” 

Relieved, she shook her head. “No. I don’t mind, go ahead.” 

He watched her for a short moment before moving, settling with his back against the wall, one of the pillows supporting him. He stayed on top of the covers and opened his arms. And without a second of hesitation, she climbed in and curled against him, ear to his chest. Her eyes drifted closed immediately. She always felt impossibly safe with him, as a man or a wolf. 

She rested there for a few minutes, trying to decide just how to start talking. He settled his chin on the top of her head, and when she’d made up her mind and nodded to herself, she bumped him. He took the message and moved so that she could uncurl but stay against him, reaching for his hand to absentmindedly fiddle with as she spoke. “I don’t think I told you about the time I jumped out of the bus to keep it from crashing.” 

She could feel him tense up, so she sped up her speaking so she wouldn’t have to deal with going over the experience in any detail, “But Greggson jumped after me and saved me – except that later he was the one who dropped me and Fitz out of the plane. After, you know, we found out he was HYDRA. And you know how we sank and had to escape? So I keep dreaming that I jump – and then I see someone else following me – but it’s not – it’s that Greggson is pushing everyone else out of the plane, one at a time, and I’m falling and I can’t do anything to stop it and then I’m hitting the water and it hurts, but somehow I keep floating even though I can’t breathe – but everyone else sinks like a stone as soon as they hit and I can’t grab any of them to stop them, they’re always just out of reach and they’re screaming and dying and I can see it through the water!” Her breath was gone, once she finished, and she could feel the burn of tears at the corners of her eyes. 

He rubbed her back, tucking her back against his chest, and that was when the dam broke and she was properly crying. His hands were gentle as they ran through her hair and over her back, and once the violence of her emotions had passed he started to talk. “That’s on him, not you. And your team is fine – we can go check on each of them to see if you want. And we will keep them safe, okay?” 

She nodded and let him hug her tighter for a moment. “Okay,” she said in a small brittle voice. She did feel better. Not, not best, but better. 

They stayed that way for a long time until she finally broke the silence. “Will you tell me a story?” 

She could hear the smile in his voice as he responded, “Of course.” 

She fell asleep to the soothing murmur of his voice in her ear, and slept peacefully. 

He was still there when she woke up, though at some point he had moved her under her covers and stretched out next to her, still above them. He was still asleep, face lax, though no more innocent. He was unfairly attractive, all broad jaw and cheekbones. 

“You’re staring.” His voice was sleep rough and husky. He hadn’t moved at all, and she marveled at the fact that there hadn’t been a single sign that he’d woken. 

His eyes opened when she continued to not respond, and they were already sharp and alert – she’d noticed the tendency to come awake swinging in all the specialists at the base, but it was odd to see it so close up.

He arched an eyebrow and she smiled and replied, “I’m used to you being hairier when you’re in my bed.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My writing tumblr can be found [here](http://capriciouswrites.tumblr.com/)! Come say hi and give me a prompt.
> 
> I hope you all enjoyed!


	2. comes from some other

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jemma is enjoying some uninterrupted lab time when she gets some news, and also something delicious.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long everyone. This is why I try not to start posting chapter fics until everything is nearly written. So many apologies. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy anyways!
> 
> This is unbeta'd, let me know if you catch anything!

Jemma spent the whole morning in her lab with a sign on the door that said ‘Do Not Disturb ☺’. She wasn’t entirely sure what had changed, but where previously the sign would maybe cut the number of people bursting in on her by a fourth, recently it had started to be much more effective. Which was to say that only a handful of people disobeyed it.

Like Skye. She burst into the lab a little past two in the afternoon. Per usual, Skye was out of breath and Jemma only glanced up long enough to make sure the other girl was not obviously injured before going back to what she was doing. 

Skye was quiet longer than normal, waiting to catch her breath and then slid up close to Jemma before softly announcing, “We have Greggson.” 

Jemma felt herself freeze, thankfully empty Erlenmeyer flask tumbling from her fingers to shatter on the ground. Her hand grasped at the edge of the table and she leaned against it heavily, Skye suddenly at her side helping her to sit down. She took a few deep, calming breaths before looking up. “How? And…he’s here?” 

Skye nodded and nudged Jemma’s shoulder with her own. “They brought him in this morning.” 

Jemma grimaced before letting out a slow breath and turning to look at Skye. “Are you okay?” 

In quick succession, Skye nodded, shook her head, and shrugged before turning helpless eyes on Jemma. “I don’t know.” 

Jemma drew the other girl into a hug and they clung to each other for a few long moments before a soft knock drew them apart. Grant was standing there, leaning half inside the door and watching them both with a slight frown. 

They still had an arm around each other, and while Jemma was occupied with making sure Grant wasn’t obviously injured from his morning mission, Skye held out her free arm and with a huff of amusement, Grant joined the hug. He drew Jemma out of her chair and cupped the back of her head, let her hear his heart beat as he pushed Skye more against her side. 

Jemma pulled back after a moment. She caught sight of Grant’s hand before he tucked it away and grabbed it with her own. “You’re hurt!” 

She examined him closer and saw more marks and bruises that she hadn’t noticed before, small marks on his face and the edge of a bruise under the collar of his shirt. She made an alarmed noise in her throat and immediately pulled his shirt up to make sure he didn’t have any actual gashes.

He huffed out a laugh and pulled the shirt off. “I’m fine, Jemma.” 

Her fingers traced lightly over the handful of bruises on his chest, appeased that none of them were bad before a hand at the back of his neck tugged him down so she could look at the scrape on his cheek. Jemma frowned and poked at a bruise, watching to make sure he didn’t wince too terribly before she nodded and leaned back. “What happened?” 

He busied himself with pulling his shirt back on. Jemma was comforted that the movement wasn’t obviously stiff or pained in any way, and she nodded to herself again. “Just a bit of a scuffle on the mission.” He gave her his most charming grin. “Have you eaten lunch yet?” 

She narrowed her eyes, well aware that he didn’t want to talk about something, but now that he mentioned it she was rather hungry. She could find out what it was later. She sighed and grabbed his arm before looking back at Skye and arching an eyebrow. “Are you coming?” 

Skye had a hand over her mouth, oddly flushed and her eyes were really wide. Jemma was slightly concerned, but before she could voice it the other woman was stepping forward and grabbing Grant’s other arm. “Yup. Food sounds good.” 

The walk to the kitchen never took very long and was spent with Skye chattering about something and Jemma worrying about Grant’s split knuckles. They arrived in short order to amazing smells.

It turned out that Grant had already made her food by the time he’d come to fetch her. She wasn’t sure how he’d managed to keep everyone else from eating it since every time she so much as left half a sandwich on the table and walked away for a minute it was gone by the time she got back. 

She kind of wanted to ask how he managed it, but he kept asking her about her experiments that day and was genuinely listening. She was sure he didn’t understand some of the particulars, even if he was good at asking after them, and was so attentive that she didn’t want to stop to ask. 

Luckily, what he’d made was soup and so after serving her and himself he let Skye have some. Previous meals he’d been very clear that no one else got any of it, soup he was oddly more lenient on. Skye had often been a partial exception, which Jemma appreciated.

It was a creamy sweet potato ginger and was amazing. She couldn’t help but stop to savor the first spoonful, breaking off her ramble to sigh in appreciation. She hummed a bit in the back of her throat and had polished off half the bowl before she realized, looking up only when Skye nudged her arm. 

Grant was staring at her across the table with dark eyes and a small smile and Skye had her eyebrows arched incredulously. “Slow down speed-racer.” 

Jemma blinked and waved her spoon at Skye’s bowl. “It’s incredible, if you don’t want yours I’ll eat it.” 

Skye pulled her bowl closer to herself, protectively curling an arm around it. “No, this is mine. You’re not even done with yours!” 

Jemma grinned and took another spoonful, just in time for Grant to push a plate of buttered toast towards her. She smiled up at him, and after a long pause he started to talk about a conversation he’d had with Hunter the day before, letting Jemma listen and continue her meal. 

By the time Grant had escorted Jemma back to her lab she’d somehow managed to forget completely about Greggson. It wasn’t until shortly before dinner that she remembered and went to check the security footage. 

He was pacing in Vault D, his face a mess of cuts and bruises

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My writing tumblr can be found [here](http://capriciouswrites.tumblr.com/)! Come say hi and give me a prompt.
> 
> I hope you all enjoyed!


	3. beginning's end

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jemma just wants to do an experiment, Skye just wants to talk about Grant being in love with her.

Jemma had just gotten back from her lunch with Grant and was busy setting up an experiment when Skye came in. There was no note on the door today, and yet there was still very little foot traffic. Something was definitely up, and at some point she’d look into it, but for now it was a nice reprieve. 

Skye pulled up a stool and fiddled with a box of pipette tips while Jemma kept setting up. She could tell that the other woman was staring at her, so after trying to ignore it she put her petri dish down and turned to her. “Alright, what is it?” 

Skye was gnawing on her lip, apparently to keep her words inside, because as soon as she opened her mouth they burst out. “I need you to listen to me, completely, because I know you’re not going to believe me but it’s really true and will you please trust me?” 

Jemma blinked and tugged a stool over so she could be seated for whatever had her friend so worried. “Yes, of course I’ll believe you. What is it?” She stripped off her gloves and laid a comforting hand on Skye’s arm where it rested on the table. 

“Ward is in love with you.” Skye reached out and laid her hand over Jemma’s and squeezed it. “And I know you don’t believe me, but you really should. He’s admitted it. He follows you around and he feeds you and he glares at people who would disturb you and he wants to paranormal romance you, okay?” 

Jemma blinked, her mind taking a second to process before she pulled her hand away and straightened, voice hard as she demanded, “Wait, let me get this straight, he is why no one is tromping through here while I’m trying to work?”

Skye said, “Yes?” while looking at Jemma with no small amount of confusion. 

Jemma let out a breath and rubbed her fingers over her mouth. “How, exactly, is he doing that?”

Skye’s head tilted, her confusion obvious, but Jemma didn’t back down, and after a moment Skye waved a hand towards the door and said, “Mostly by scowling, honestly. And a little snarling. Usually silently.”

Closing her eyes, she rubbed the bridge of her nose. “And just how often, would you say, does he do this?” 

Skye shrugged, helplessly baffled. “I don’t know? Kind of perpetually to everyone who’s not you?” She paused, regrouped and continued, “Because he’s in love with you.” 

Jemma wrinkled her nose and asked, “Do Coulson and May know?” 

“That he’s in love with you?” Even Skye’s voice sounded lost.

Waving a hand through the air Jemma shook her head. “No, no. The snarling, do they know about the snarling?” Jemma felt a little bad for the other woman, but not enough to not get the answers she very specifically hadn’t chosen to look for yet.

Skye’s nose wrinkled and she said, “Yes? I mean, I think so. I think they approve? Oh! I saw May laugh at something Ward said the other day!”

Jemma smiled, honestly relieved. She knew that May knew Grant from before, but it was still a comfort that they were getting along. “Really?” 

Skye grinned right back, nodding enthusiastically, before a cloud passed over her face and she jabbed a finger at Jemma. “Stop changing the subject! I’m here to tell you that Ward wants to date you!” 

Jemma shook her head and turned to look over what she needed to be working on, absentmindedly replying, “I don’t think that’s entirely accurate.” 

She could see Skye flail out of the corner of her eye and tramped down on her answering smile. “What? No! It’s totally accurate! A hundred percent accurate! He told me he did! I know he does! He follows after you like a lovesick puppy!”

Jemma sighed and answered in a patient tone, “No Skye, I mean, I think ‘wants’ is the wrong word. Admittedly, he calls it courting, and there are definitely differences, but it all boils down to the same thing.”

There was no noise from the other woman for several long moments, and finally Jemma glanced back over to make sure she hadn’t actually left. Skye was staring at her with very wide eyes and a gaping mouth. Jemma pursed her lips, unsure what to do. Luckily, Skye seemed to reanimate, flailing so hard she almost fell off of the stool. “Wait, wait, wait, wait. Back up. What?” 

Jemma tilted her head to the side and tried very hard not to laugh at the other woman. “Grant is courting me. He has been for a while.”

Skye continued to stare then in a burst of movement exploded off of the stool, waving her arms around and speaking at a speed that Jemma couldn’t quite follow. After a few moments of frantic yelling she came nose to nose with Jemma and asked her, wild eyed, “How long?”

Covering her mouth to hide her smile, Jemma leaned back slightly and answered, “He asked me about a week after we got to base, right before he took the three day mission with May and Trip.” She smiled at the memory, her voice softening as she continued. “He made a point to ask before that, because he wanted me to have some time without him around to decide. When he came back we discussed it and he started courting me several days later.” 

Skye grabbed her shoulders and shook her. Jemma braced herself against the lab table and felt a little alarmed. She hadn’t realized that Skye cared so much. “You have to tell me all the details!” 

Jemma, once the shaking stopped, carefully extracted herself from Skye’s grip. “There really aren’t that many details. He’s courting me. It’s very…slow.” Her lips twitched and she couldn’t help but tease. “We haven’t even properly kissed yet.” 

Skye exploded into motion again, pacing and ranting. Jemma shook her head and turned away. Really, she loved Skye, but it was none of her business. And they hadn’t really kissed yet. She was fairly sure it would be soon. But, until then, she had the memory of kissing his cheek. How impossibly still he would become, how he would close his eyes to savor it, how when she pulled back his eyes would open just a sliver and he’d look at her. She shivered, just thinking about it.

They’d discussed, before they’d begun courting, what exactly it meant. He had made it very clear that she could put the breaks on at any time, could even end it entirely and he would walk away without a problem. 

She didn’t entirely believe him. Oh, he would certainly walk away and she didn’t think he would do anything to hurt her or the people around her, but she was certain it would break something inside of him. And maybe inside of her. Which was why she was so glad they were moving so very slowly. It let her make sure that this was really what she wanted.

And it was.

He was. 

Skye was still ranting, but a few words caught Jemma’s attention and she turned her head and listened closely for a few minutes before saying in a deceptively calm voice, “What bets?” 

Skye froze, face going white as a sheet, and then dashed out of the laboratory doors. 

Jemma narrowed her eyes. 

She was sure, if there were bets about her and him, that Grant knew about them. She frowned at the door for a long moment before nodding and turning back to her experiment. He’d be by around dinnertime to make sure she was eating. She could talk to him then.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My writing tumblr can be found [here](http://capriciouswrites.tumblr.com/)! Come say hi and give me a prompt.
> 
> I hope you all enjoyed!

**Author's Note:**

> My writing tumblr can be found [here](http://capriciouswrites.tumblr.com/)! Come say hi and give me a prompt.
> 
> I hope you all enjoyed!


End file.
